


Reality is Kind and Cruel

by Anichibi



Series: Ani's Bad Things Happen Bingo [9]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mindfuck, Torture, Touch-Starved, i almost decided to break lloyd for fun, i don't know what the main focus was tbh, maybe be glad i didn't, the torture isn't actually the main focus here, very poorly written torture but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 07:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21406504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anichibi/pseuds/Anichibi
Summary: Prompt was bruises, and for once that ended up not being the main plot point or whatever in this. oh well ig.
Relationships: Lloyd Irving/Zelos Wilder
Series: Ani's Bad Things Happen Bingo [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1488791
Kudos: 14





	Reality is Kind and Cruel

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was bruises, and for once that ended up not being the main plot point or whatever in this. oh well ig.

Lloyd groaned as his consciousness returned, mind fuzzy and body sore. His head ached, a dull throbbing at the back of his head. He tried moving his hands to feel his head but was hit with the dull realization that his hands were tied above his head. As he squirmed about, trying to figure out a way to get out, a few footsteps approached. It was too dark for Lloyd to make out anything. Another dull realization was that he was likely blindfolded as well. Whoever it was said nothing. Lloyd heard something wooden scrape against the floor as it was picked up. Before he could even think of figuring out what it was, something hit his stomach _hard_. He would've crumpled in pain if his hands above his head didn't restrict pretty much all movement. He kept himself from screaming. Another harsh strike on the back had him gritting his teeth. Then suddenly, all of his senses died as he was struck on the back of the head.

The torture got worse as time went. Whatever they were trying to do, it was working, he supposed. How long was this going to go on? Lloyd had no idea. He didn't even know what time of the day it was. He'd lost all sense of time. All he could feel was numbness, dull pain, and the occasional heat from a fire spell that was too close to him for comfort. He probably had more bruises and burns than any human being should at any given time, but he was glad it was only him and not someone else. This monotony of constantly getting beaten till you're bleeding in a few places would likely drive anyone to the pit of despair. Lloyd knew he was getting there, but he no longer had it in him to fight. He just wanted to be knocked out and for once not wake up again.

Once again, Lloyd woke up to pure empty nothingness, but something was new that made him wake up a bit faster. There were voices, actual voices from other people echoing from somewhere. He's probably finally going mad from the countless hours of torment and social isolation. But there were also footsteps and weapons scraping against stone, signs of activity. He could almost feel the electricity in the air from spells and the like. The voices soon stopped in front of him. "Lloyd! Is that you in there?" Lloyd never thought he'd be happier to hear Zelos' voice.

"Yeah, it's me." Lloyd tried to keep a sense of humor in his voice, but his throat was dry and his voice was gravelly and weak from what must've been weeks without use.

"We'll have you out of there in a second!" Zelos muttered something, and a loud bang that made Lloyd very visibly flinch echoed across the room. The first thing that came off was the blindfold. Everyone else was there staring at him, Zelos holding the cloth in his hands that were shaking ever so slightly. The dark cloth was quickly forgotten as Zelos tentatively reached out and held Lloyd's face. The brunette leaned into the touch and the warmth it brought almost instantly. Meanwhile, Colette was getting the chains off and no indication of it was made until Lloyd's arms dropped to his sides. With nothing else keeping him up, he collapsed into Zelos' arms in a weak, tired heap. He almost felt like crying in relief.

"Lloyd! Bud, stay with us here!"

"You guys came for me..." Lloyd almost thought he was dreaming, that he'd finally fallen into the pit of despair. But Zelos felt so _real_, and Lloyd could feel the others joining the hug and helping him stand and they felt _real_ and Lloyd was sure he started crying but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He felt so safe.

A harsh blow to the gut knocked him to reality. It was dark again. His hands were back above his head. He was crying. He should've known better than to expect anyone to save him. He didn't have to hold back his screams anymore, because he didn't have it in him to scream. He felt like a kicked puppy. He couldn't think of anything worse than that, what with his mind being so broken. He wanted to feel the warmth of his friends and their smiles, he wanted to feel the sun on his skin and the wind blowing against him, he wanted to be _free_. But he didn't think he would get that. Not anymore, anyway. Lloyd didn't believe any sort of miracle was going to happen. Miracles rarely did for people who needed them the most.

Suddenly, when Lloyd woke up again, he was in a warm bed. He could see. He looked around and saw his friends. He looked over himself, left in just a tank top, and he could see the bruises blooming all over his skin. That happened. All that torture he endured, that was real. So, this also had to be real then, right? He almost started crying. He couldn't get himself to believe this was real. It must've been another illusion brought on by the hopelessness of his situation. He pinched himself, resulting in nothing but a small stinging sensation on his arm. He didn't wake up back in the dark like he thought he would. No, this _had_ to be fake. He was _dreaming_. This was a _dream_. He pinched himself harder. He felt pain. He _felt_ it. This was definitely not a dream. Tears started pouring down his face and a sob ripped through him. He really _was_ safe this time. He was free and he was _home_. Home... Yeah, this was home. Right here with his friends. Home.

He heard movement off to the side. "Bud? What's wrong?" Lloyd started crying harder as Zelos spoke. This was _real_. He knew it. Zelos nearly fell over getting to Lloyd's side, by the sounds of it. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lloyd couldn't put his feelings into words. It was hard to describe the relief and comfort he felt just knowing his friends found him and saved him. Lloyd hugged Zelos, clung onto him like his life depended on it, sobbing into his shoulder. Thank-yous were muffled in his shoulder as Lloyd cried. Zelos, after spending a moment dazed, rubbed circles in the other's back. Lloyd's sobbing died down, and a few small laughs came through his sobs that were now far and few between. "Hun, what's so funny? You're really worrying me here." Zelos asked as he pulled Lloyd off him. The brunette wiped away some of his tears.

"I'm just... so happy to be back. I really lost hope for a while. I almost thought you guys would never come." Lloyd replied as he wiped away more stray tears.

"Oh, hun, you know we'd never leave you like that! Honestly, I'd have dragged them all over the place looking if they decided to forget about you. I'd even search all by myself if it came down to it. Either way, we would've found you sooner or later." Zelos gave Lloyd a tight hug as he spoke and pulled away just as quickly.

"I don't doubt that you would."

"Good, because I would, and you better believe it! Well, goodnight, hun. See you in the morning." Zelos began getting up to return to his own bed, leaving Lloyd feeling oddly empty. His skin still felt warm and seemed to buzz where Zelos had touched him, and he was almost surprised that his hand shot out to grab the other's wrist before his mind could catch up. The two stared at each other for a moment, and Lloyd was beginning to lose himself in lilac eyes before he remembered what he was doing in the first place.

"Actually, could you... stay here? I... don't want to be alone, if that makes sense." Lloyd's eyes wandered to something in the corner of the room that suddenly seemed so much more interesting than staring at Zelos.

"Hun, you even need to ask?" Zelos slipped into the bed with Lloyd, dragging the other down. He held the other close and rubbed his back, and Lloyd swore he was a mind reader as Zelos left a quick kiss on his forehead. Silence prevailed as the two fell asleep one after another.

Lloyd was glad to wake up to sunlight shining through the windows and Zelos' warmth surrounding him.

**Author's Note:**

> This could've ended very differently had i decided not to be merciful and spare lloyd the mind break. anyway! first symphonia fic! i haven't actually met zelos in-game yet and i only know a select few things from the internet so i probably wrote him poorly! i'm sorry! i try! h!


End file.
